The Trophies That Walk Away

[Huntrgathr]

For every elk or deer that a hunter harvests there are often many that we get SO close But, for whatever reason, the animal evades us. The stories of "the ones that got away don't often appear in hunting magazines or videos. These days it's all about the hero shots with big racks. Which is still great reading but the stories seem formulaic and predictable. Many of my most enjoyable hunts I have come home empty handed, except for the stories of close encounters and wild adventures. Sometimes I succumb to a feeling of failure when I don't end up with my target animal on the meat pole. But the reality is, I hunt for the purpose of close encounters and wild adventures. That IS my ultimate goal. So, in reality, I'm succeeding every single time I get out. Once I made a habit of mentally reassuring myself of this fact, I enjoyed hunting so much more. When every day is measured by a " pass/fail" mindset it's too easy to get discouraged and we rob ourselves of the enjoyment of the experience. Staying optimistic and seizing each day with tenacity is critical for a successful hunter - especially the more inexperienced guys like myself. When you are short on skill or experience you can make up for it with tenacity. The opposite is not generally true.

It will be another 7 months before the we can talk to the elk again So, throw another log on the campfire and share the stories of your trophies that walked away...

[Mikeha33]

But the reality is, I hunt for the purpose of close encounters and wild adventures. That IS my ultimate goal.

^^^^ This!!! The hunt isn't about the harvest of our prey, but about the excitement, encounters, and adventures that defines us as hunters!!

I don't have an elk that got away story, but I will soon enough. I did have an encounter on October 27 of this year with a behemoth of a whitetail. I was in a makeshift ground blind on the edge of a cut cornfield that I'd seen a bunch of does in the night before, but no good treestand locations, so I cut my way into a cedar tree along the edge of a water way. I rattled and grunted a heck of a show, and had two smaller, 130" deer come out immediately, but I was hunting for bigger, so I watched them come out, investigate my Mr October decoy, and slip back into the draw across the field. About 10 minutes later, I started another rattling sequence, and in mid rattle, I caught a flash of movement out of the corner of my eye to the West. All I could make out was a set of monster dark antlers, and he was staring right at me. He was a statue for 10 minutes, as I stood solid, not moving anything, antlers still together in hand, bow leaned next to me on a sapling. My body started to cramp, my heart was racing, and we just stared at each other, neither of us willing to budge. After 10 minutes, he relaxed, and started to browse around, and stepped into the field, at about 60 yards, facing straight at me. He was bigger than I thought. 180", easy. Perfect 10 point, probably 25" wide with 14" G2's. There was my chance. I lowered my rattlin' antlers to the ground, picked up my bow ever so slowly, and pulled range on him. 47 yards. Easy shot. I raised my bow, and began to draw, and boom. He saw me. I was at 1/4 draw, and couldn't hold, so I slowly let down. He didn't move for another 2 minutes, then slowly backed up, exactly where he came from, never taking his eyes off of me. That was it. He was gone. I didn't see him again during deer season, but thankfully, late January, while running a trap line, we jumped him. Just seeing him still healthy and alive was a tremendous rush. I'll start looking for his sheds this weekend, imagining how big he'll be this fall.

[UtPreacher]

My most memorable experiences seem to always be the ones that got away. On the other thread on whats the number 1reason you hunt elk I answered for the Meat. This is true at this point in my life. Through filled tags and fish we catch we are able to sustain our family through most of the year. Something larger takes place through these experiences in the Wild than harvesting meat though. Like so many times you read in the Bible that God brings people into the wilderness to work in their lives. When we are in the wilds I believe the creation speaks of the Creator and there is a connection that cannot be found elsewhere within our lives. This is the experience that draws us out of the comfort of our homes into the wild lands by a force we can only relate to others who have experienced it. I think the animal that got away leaves such vivid memories because they remind us of how small and inadequate we are.

[Swede]

I agree that it is unfortunate that almost all of what we read and get to watch on video are the stories of killing the biggest of bulls. The human interest, part is a small byproduct of the story. It is largely forgotten in the interest of showing the trophy. I think there are two reasons for this. Big bulls sell. The other part is that it is harder to write a compelling story where disappointment clouds every joyous moment we were out hunting.
I wrote this kind of story for the Oregon Bowhunter Magazine. I think it will be published in the next issue. Maybe some will enjoy the story. It is likely that some will appreciate it more for its value as a bird cage floor cover.

[Jaquomo]

I was so busy taking photos of muley bucks I was rattling-in on an epic day this November, that I forgot to shoot a 180+ buck at 15 yards, Got great photos, though!

If I'd never killed one that size with a bow I'd have been more bummed. As it was, I had an amazing morning, passed up four different bucks inside 25 yards, and have a ton of photos to remember the morning.

Unfortunately, to write for the major bowhunting magazines you need a "money shot" of a dead animal, preferably of trophy class. Swede, your idea of writing a story about what usually happens is a good one, and I hope it get published. As we all know, the excellent days with no critter down far outnumber those that end with a hero shot, and are sometimes the best of hunting days.

[Huntrgathr]

Something larger takes place through these experiences in the Wild than harvesting meat though. Like so many times you read in the Bible that God brings people into the wilderness to work in their lives. When we are in the wilds I believe the creation speaks of the Creator and there is a connection that cannot be found elsewhere within our lives. This is the experience that draws us out of the comfort of our homes into the wild lands by a force we can only relate to others who have experienced it. I think the animal that got away leaves such vivid memories because they remind us of how small and inadequate we are.

Very well put ! I always feel like I leave the woods with my body empty and my soul filled. If I'm away from the woods for too long I begin to feel somewhat anxious and out of sorts. Being in nature, and being one WITH nature, resets and realigns me. When all the noise of city life stops a part of me awakens that seems to lie dormant most of the time...

I've had some close encounters that were SO CLOSE that it almost hurts to think about them ! I've been on a mulet quest for a lot of years now. I'm looking for " The Big One". I've been in or on the edge of bow range of 180"+ bucks dozens of times without connecting but one from 2011 really stands out ...

I had hunted a new area all day without any good sign so I figured I'd hike back out to the camper and eat a hot lunch. I usually stay on the mountain all day no matter what and after lunch I fought the urge to take a nap and went back out. This was in November so days are short and I knew I only had a couple hours to hunt but I went anyway. Only a few hundred yards after I started up the creek bottom I saw a really big 3 point on too of the ridge 600 vertical feet above me- maybe 450 yards. I hooked back and wrapped around the end of the ridge and climbed the back side. By the time I got ready to peep over the ridge another hunter came down the ridge and spooked the buck out. Disappointed, I popped back over the ridge to hit the creek bottom and walk out. There , standing right above where I was when I spotted the 3 point was the most perfect 190 class buck you ever saw. Heavy and dark antlered, tall, mass, a forked eye guard ... You get the picture. He had 6 does and I had exactly one hour until shooting light was over.

I moved back, descended to a saddle and belly crawled onto the frontside again. I slid down hill, checking the wind every 10 yards. Twice, chukars busted as I inched down the grassy face. The deer moved up canyon and bedded in a small swale. A small patch of brush on the finger ridge protected my approach. I dropped down level with the deer, took off my boots and began to close the 150 yards to where they lay. 20 minutes of daylight left. I did my best to speed sneak through the open sections, slowing down for the arrow leaf. With just a few minutes of shooting light left I had no more than 5 steps to where I would have my shot. I crept forward two more steps. At that moment another group of deer walked in, an unseen doe below me stood up and all the deer started milling around nervously. The buck stood up and I knocked an arrow. He weaves through the does stopped at 58 yards and gave me a bad angle for a few seconds and then walked out of range. As shooting light ended, he walked around and up over the too of me at about 80 yards. I can still remember the feeling I had with him standing above me. He stayed there as I put my arrow back in the quiver and searched hopelessly in the dark for my boots and pack...

[BrentLaBere]

HuntrGathr said, "I've had some close encounters that were SO CLOSE that it almost hurts to think about them !" I agree except mine do hurt to think about....that statement hits home.

I might have to get my hands on the Oregon Bow hunters Mag to read your story Swede.

[Swede]

Brent: PM me your e-mail address and I will e=mail the article to you, including the photo that went with it.

[easeup]

mr huntrgathr - you have penned the jist of it pretty well I think. the truth be known is when I draw that bow and the elk has the colored pin on him....at that very moment my heart is satisfied with success as a bowhunter regardless of whether the arrow is released or not for whatever reason ( and there have been plenty). thank you for the honest observations.

now on the other hand that desire we all have to be standing with the meatpole, if never realized is incomplete so one does ultimately have to kill to be a hunter I think. This must be true for even when the trophy walks away and I am feeling well with my soul, there is some disappointment driving back home with an empty ice chest.

[ElkNut1]

Yes, I couldn't agree more, that's a realistic & fantastic outlook! I've always said that all hunts are memory builders to reflect back on as we get older. Great thread sir! Thank you so much for helping me re-live some of our past hunts through my minds eye!

ElkNut1

[Indian Summer]

You can't win em all. That's what I tell myself when what seemed like a slam dunk ended up as nothing but a memory. It's true though. Even when you kill elk there are still the ones that got away. But I make a habit of putting myself in the other guy's shoes and not just people. When an elk lives to see another day I just smile and wonder if he knows how lucky he is. I'd never go into a melt down because the way I look at it.... I get to keep hunting and that's a good thing.

I have a little hunting prayer. It mentions that I'd like this to be a safe and successful day for everyone lucky enough to be out there. But the word successful has nothing to do with killing anything believe it or not. To me a good day is seeing anything interesting, interacting with wildlife, or witnessing a rare event. I know a few people who are non hunters. Not anti, just non. They really enjoy the pics I take that have nothing to do with killing animals. I tell them I'm out hunting a couple hundred days a year and I only kill an animal once or twice. If it was all about the killing I'd be pretty bored and probably wouldn't have stuck with it for so long.

I'm an outdoorsman first and a hunter second. If they completely outlawed hunting I'd still be wandering around the mountains. I think that's what separates some hunters from others. I can't imagine not being an outdoors person, and living out of my element just because I wanted to punch my game tag. One good picture like this one and who needs to kill something to call it a day to remember. If there was no value to a day without killing I'd certainly be the master of just killing time!

One of my favorites.... when you see things like this and someone asks "Did you have any luck?" you answer "Heck yeah, didn't kill anything but lots of luck."

[Swede]

Joe: We are different is some ways. I love the outdoors and I enjoy a day out hiking or cutting wood. I miss my wood cutting days. Scouting is always a reward in itself, but when I pick up my bow, it is all about the hunt. If I am after elk, then it is all about elk. Sometimes I will shoot a deer as I like to eat some venison in the winter, but I have passed by good bucks to get to my tree stand early. I have to admit that hunting takes a physical toll on me, and if I don't get something after a long exhausting hunt, there is an emotional toll. That let down, or toll I mention does not last long. Soon I am planning for my next hunt, more determined that ever not to repeat the last hunt.
There is no right or wrong answer. I too love a day in the forest hearing the sounds of birds and animals. I enjoy watching all of the different creatures, that either don't know, or don't care that I am sharing their space. The smell of pine is a great experience, but there is nothing that compares with the sight of a bull elk, silently walking in toward where I am waiting. There is nothing to compare with the sight of an arrow flashing through sunlit spaces, and shadows, on its deadly coarse. That is what keeps me packing a bow instead of just a camera.
For me it has never been about the meat. The antlers are no big deal either. I give most of both away. For me it is the challenge. Ultimately it is a Pass/fail test. That is just me.

[Csrbowhunter]

I have a ton of would of could of and should of stories for whitetails and not as many for elk but I'll just tell you about the biggest one for whitetail. I was sitting in a oak tree early morning, about 8:30 I hear a long drawn out grunt. I hear it again so I grab my antlers and hit them together. This monster comes up over the hill and is about 100yds away from me. I don't dare move again because he's scanning the woods trying to find the bucks that we're fighting. At first my whole body started to shake so bad I had to sit down so I didn't fall out of the tree. After a while I finally calmed down and got my bino on him. He's a huge 16 point that if I'd have to guess would score over 200! A doe pops over the hill and walks past the buck. He's locked on this doe. Where ever she steps, he steps. It took over a hour for them to come to me and get in bow range. They are walking to my left and the doe is about 30 yds broad side but the buck just isn't in the wide open yet. Now here's where everything goes wrong. The night before I shot this doe and she dropped to the left of me. I pulled her out on the same trail the doe was getting ready to cross! I turned and got ready. Just a couple more steps for the buck and he would be mine. As soon as the doe hit the trail she raised her tail, then blew and ran away. I pulled my bow back, put my pin on the buck and pulled the trigger. In my hast I didn't see the limb in between me and the buck, I hit it dead center! The buck ran off and I wasn't for sure if I hit the buck or not. I climbed down out of my tree and started looking for blood. I didn't find blood or my arrow. After a while I gave up and got back in my tree. It didn't take long till I saw my arrow in the branch about 15 foot off the ground in between me and where the monster buck had stood. All I could do was laugh to keep from crying!

I wrote an article of one of my pass elk hunts and got turned down by every big magazine you can think of. I didn't kill a bull but had some good stories of my adventure. The next year I killed a bull but had some really poor pictures of me and the bull because I was by myself. Eastmans did use part of my article and put a picture in their magazine but said next time get some better pictures. I thought my first article was better written but had no chance because I didn't kill my bull.

[Indian Summer]

Maybe not so different Swede. You underestimated my drive to kill my elk or deer each season. Or even my turkey and rabbits! lol My wife would be the first to tell you my motto: No tag goes unpunched! I work hard all year if at nothing else making sure I have the time to get the job done. Yes, I feel a let down if at the end of the season I haven't put one on the ground. But on a daily level no, I don't feel much of a sense of disappointment. I enjoy every minute of it and would hate to be bummed out every day I didn't kill something.

If I have made a step of any size in the right direction on a given day and I feel like I'm on track with what I'm doing I just look at it as a part of the hunt. Maybe a good way to look at it is... when you work your 8 or 10 hour day you don't expect a paycheck. You don't get rewarded daily for your efforts and commitment. But you don't mind because you know after 1 or 2 weeks you'd have a nice paycheck coming. So... don't get me wrong, I may come skipping down the trail at the end of every day but ultimately it's all about one very important goal. I don't have very many unpunched tags, elk, deer, or turkey. I have fun but what motivates me are racks on the wall, meat in the freezer, and walking up on a dead bull. Man..... the best for sure!

Search, seek, & destroy!

[Swede]

Maybe not so different Swede. You underestimated my drive to kill my elk or deer each season. Or even my turkey and rabbits! lol My wife would be the first to tell you my motto: No tag goes unpunched! I work hard all year if at nothing else making sure I have the time to get the job done. Yes, I feel a let down if at the end of the season I haven't put one on the ground. But on a daily level no, I don't feel much of a sense of disappointment. I enjoy every minute of it and would hate to be bummed out every day I didn't kill something.

It sounds here like we are no different at all. I did not realize I ever underestimated your drive or determination. It never entered my mind. I just thought you were happy and content with your experiences. I thought you were satisfied when you had given all you had to your hunt regardless of the results. To my way of thinking that is good. I appreciate people that are satisfied when they return home, even if they have an unfilled tag. Hunters have nothing to be dejected about when they have done everything reasonable to succeed, regardless of the results. Still I am bummed out. I feel haunted by an unfilled elk tag. I don't care about the other ones, as I did not put much into filling them.

[jswbga]

I can still see that 5x5. he wasnt a "trophy" by magazine standards, but he would have been a trophy for me, for certain.

It was day #4 of my first ever elk hunt (archery). I'd never seen an elk up close, and he sure as hell was close.

I had sat down on a log crossing the game trail I was hunting, and had finished my 2nd sandwich. I figured I'd hit the cow call before I started still hunting again, and he bugled back immediately. I thought he was hundreds of yards away, but as it turns out, he was only about 100 yards away, in a draw. When I saw him, he was walking the very game trail I was sitting on (grossly unprepared for such an event....) with very little cover. He didnt appear til he was about 25 yards away, and he kept coming to 19 yards, where he stopped and looked for the cow he'd just heard.

At that time, with nil cover, I just sat frozen, and enjoyed the show, which I figured would end soon.... cause I couldnt draw my bow (no cover). After about 15 seconds, he starts thrashing some of that short yellow-leaved bushy stuff (I call it aspen-bush, cause the leaves look something like the top of an aspen tree, but only about 3' tall). Since he's moving his head, he probably wont notice if I draw.... so I do, quickly, and he never sees me.

Bear in mind, he's straight in front of me (not inline with my shoulders, pay attention, this is important......). I put all 4 pins on his chest, and actually think to myself.... "he's in the frying pan.... they're gonna write books about me.....this elk hunting stuff is easier than I thought..." and hit the release. I blink and dont see the arrow flight.

he wheels and runs down the hill, now joined by a dozen cows/calves. I look the area over for blood, hair, tracks, anything for about an hour, and find no sign of even a cut hair. Bear in mind.... its 19 yards and he weighs ~600#. I've made this practice shot thousands of times in my backyard.

Finally I decide to "recreate" the shot, from that log. So I sit down, just as I had been, and re-draw my bow. While "aiming" I see something blue in my vision...... its my peep sight. As it turns out, I never used the darned thing when I took the "real" shot. My body geometry was just all wrong (try shooting like this and you'll see what I mean).

I actually found my arrow 3 seasons later, fully confirming the miss.

I'm still chasing my first archery elk.... and he'd still be a trophy... I see that SOB all the time in my mind. As much as he's fuelled my elk hunting passion since.... maybe I should be thankful for the miss.

Thanks for letting me relive it... again!

shane

[Indian Summer]

snif sniff...

[Lefty]

Almost makes me cry, yet good memories and stories
First year 11 1/2 yards glunking bull head all the way back, bounced an arrow off of the G 4 a nice smaller even 6x6

8 bulls came in, I drew on a smaller 6x6 but wasn't going to release until he passed a marker. The elk hung around for 10 minutes but never a shot I wanted to take, always something in the way, 2 huge 350 plus bulls walked 18 yards behind the blind and I didnt have a shooting window.

Same year; At the time I wasn't going to shoot anything past 35 yards, , had 2 big bulls stopped and staring for 20-30 seconds each ,.. Wish I could have that shot now
Wrong pin, stopped the bull shot low,.. scored 360 when a rifle hunter killed it
2012 rag horn shot over 3 times used the wrong pin
this 5x5 shot under wrong pin


Worst rifle elk hunt,( scope lenses dropped free)), easy 200 yard shot, clean miss, Up the hill 3/4 mile killed by another guy green scored 357
But by far my worse was three weeks earlier,different scope same gun same problem on a 30 year old scope heavy tall 9x 11 mulie started out at 40 yards
seen a lot og big deer and elk before and after shooting hours or season,.. I dont have any issues with them

[Huntrgathr]

Lefty - OUCH ! That's way too much pain in one post ! I can count the 330+ bulls I've seen in Idaho on my fingers. Big ones hurt the worst ..

[zpd307]

2 years ago in Colorado, first ever archery hunt and diy. took 3 days to find the elk= equals lots of miles. took several mores days to find their bedding areas. had been busted by a couple bulls and a cow who caught my wind, bumped a cow and a 5x5, seen a cow/calf 150 yards out on an old logging road. on our final day I was still hunting in the elevation where I had figured out where their bedding area was. they did bugle in the am and pm a couple of days, but only 2-3 times before going silent. anyway, I stopped to get a drink of water and was trying to find a path through a mass of deadfalls, so I hadn't moved for five minutes or so..... I told myself to take one more look around, when I spotted an elk body sticking out from behind a tree at about 40-50 yards. you know those moments where you have to blink a couple of times to make sure you are actually seeing what you are seeing. my first thought was how in the hell did that get there.... I had an either sex tag, but had to make sure it wasn't a spike. I was seeing a lot of sign so I already had an arrow nocked. but man, that instant surge of adrenaline kicked in! it had been feeding and when it picked up its head I saw that it was a legal 4x raghorn. now I am really pumped up! to be so close to a legal bull that doesn't even know that I am there... the night before while doing the same thing, I bumped the 5x5. my release is now clipped in and I am about to draw back..... but then I notice the small dead tree angled in the way. I take a couple of steps sideways to my left to clear it and then the bulls continues walking down the mountain. within ten steps he is no longer in view... I tried to blow a cow call with my mouth reed, but my mouth was so dry and I was already breathing hard in the 10,300 ft elevation, and it came out like dying rabbit. I did hear a couple of sticks break just in where I couldn't see it anymore. I didn't hear it run away and figured I had peaked this guys curiosity enough to stick around. I was getting ready to try a second attempt at a call when I let out the worst cough imaginable, it lasted what felt like five minutes. I had picked up my buddies cold about halfway through the hunt. the kind of cold where you blow out and cough up the slimiest green phlem, along with the body aches and sinus pain. anyways, I almost cried.... I still dream about that moment. what I should have and could have done. that's why I am hooked

[timberland]

Here's one for the turkey hunters. About 10 years ago WI had a 5 day season. The night before my season I roosted a big tom on a side hill next to a small lake. The next morning I set up about 200 yds away next to a small field. He gobbles, flies down, and walks away. The next morning I set up above him 100 yds away. He gobbles, flies down and walks away. The next morning I set up 100 yds away on the same level in the direction he's been traveling. I don't call but wait patiently. He gobbles, flies down, walks away. Same for the next day. On the last day of my season, I sneak in 1 1/2 hr before sunrise right to his roost. As the sky gets light I see him sitting on a branch in a tree leaning over the water. I'm 40 yds from the water, so all he has to do is fly down and he's in range. I watch him wake up, stretch and shake off the dew. He starts gobbling, walking up and down the branch a little. After about ten gobbles, he bails out of the tree and flies ACROSS THE LAKE! So I pick up, walk the 3/4 mile out and drive the three miles around to where a road runs within 1/2 mile from the lake. As soon as I get out of the truck he gobbles. I beat feet, cutting the distance to about 100 yds and set up. A couple light yelps and he fires right back at me. Well, he knows where I'm at, I thought, Let's wait him out. After about 1/2 hr I can see him walking up and down a logging trail about 60 yds in front of me, gobbling about every 5 min or so. Another 1/2 hr and he starts picking his way up the hill toward me. In my haste to set up, I sat against a fairly small tree, so my profile stuck out pretty good. The tom sneaks under a low hanging branch at 40 yds, and as he straightens up, he pegs me. He starts moving fast to my right, and I BOOOOOOOMM! He flies off, clean miss. That's the only a miss made me cry (literally, and I was 36). The stress and the week long build up was more than I could take. Haven't turkey hunted much since then, and it made me realize the regret of investing the whole season into one trophy.

[Lefty]

Lefty - OUCH ! That's way too much pain in one post ! I can count the 330+ bulls I've seen in Idaho on my fingers. Big ones hurt the worst ..

I never saw the big ones during the 7 years I rifle hunted. Well not under 800 yards
My brother in law wartched a big Montana bull walk behind me 60 yards ( he was 800 yards away.) He watched me rise from a sitting position and was waiting for me to shoot. I heard something and never saw the bull,
Ive seen more elk during my first 4 days archery hunting than all the bulls in 7 years or rifle hunting.
I seem to be able to find them,.. I just choke under the presure
I think what it comes down too I like to hunt where others dont or wont hun; even though the elk are far and few between the big bulls know where to stay away from hunters,.. just not the lady friends

[WapitiTalk1]

Took a buddy of mine hunting last year in WA during the early season. We did a huge loop into a wilderness area and as we came down from a high ridge pass, we descended into a nice little basin I know of to set up for an evening hunt. As we moved down the side hill game trail, in a area that was pretty open with small finger ridges running N to S, and, scattered mature fir trees... I turned to Duke and said "we need to slow down now". With the moist weather the past day or so, I guessed the elk may be moving from bed to feed a bit early in this secluded basin. Less than a few minutes later, as I barely could see down into the next small draw, here came a cow and a calf... heading directly up to the trail we were on. I dove behind a big fir tree and Duke dropped like a snake behind a downed tree we had just stepped over on the trail. Crap... bad set up but.. here they came. Cow, calf, another cow, cow... I had an arrow nocked and turned back to Duke and mouthed "I'm gonna shoot a cow". Not something I normally do but we had only a few days to hunt in the early season and were less than a mile from a main road. I did my best to stay directly behind the tree and watch the elk as they fed up to the trail. I peeked around one time and a calf had me pegged! Stared it down and it went back to feeding and talking with mama. Whew.. that was close. Now, as I was drawing back my bow behind the fir and getting ready to lean to the right for the 25 yard shot at the cow... something caught my attention down to the left where the cows came from.. Yep, you guessed it BULLWINKLE was on his way up. I let off (again, trying to keep concealed behind the tree), glanced back at Duke to see if he saw the bull. His eyes were like saucers peeking over the downed tree. This entire episode lasted maybe three minutes. OK, it's time.. I drew back, leaned around the tree when I saw the bull had gotten close to where the cows were feeding and was met with about 8 sets of cow/calf eyes locked on to me.. Crash, crash, boom, crunch, pow, whammo.... they were gone. That bull lumbering up that draw with his muddy brown 6X6 headgear was one of my most memorable "trophies that walked...err... crashed away". It was a good day in the elkwoods.. almost

[zpd307]

idk why, but I love these stories! yes I do, its real, not primos....

[Huntrgathr]

That's a good one RJ. I love how things can happen all at once sometimes. Your "opportunity of a lifetime" may be a totally random event that comes out of no where and lasts for only seconds. Those moments sure are exciting - when you just get a major opportunity thrown in your lap.

[Trumkin the Dwarf]

Oddly enough, it has never been the elk that haunt me. I had a real beast of a western Montana mountain whitetail in my sights a few years back though. It was in the middle of a snow storm, my dad and I had just hoofed it up a ridge, and my crosshairs were dancing the tango all across the buck. He was walking, and I never got steady enough to take the shot. I still want to know how big that buck was.

[Huntrgathr]

Dredging up an old thread but at this time of year I think it's relevant...

Chased this bull for three days. Got inside 120 yds 3 times. Had him in range at one point but didn't feel totally comfortable with the shot angle and let him walk. I'll never forget the encounters I had trying to seal the deal. I feel privelaged to even share the woods with this guy for a few days. Pretty big bull for our OTC unit. Sorry about the poor quality pics - phone theough the spotter. Any guesses on score ?

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[BRazz]

Not only is that a big bull (for any unit in my opinion, not just OTC), it's awesome that you were able to hunt him for several days straight. I've never been able to get enough seclusion to have elk to myself for days like that ... what a great experience that must have been.

My guess is 350, but I'm not too good at that.

[Lefty]

Dredging up an old thread but at this time of year I think it's relevant...]

Oh the pain,..

All my happenings were very satisfying to me this year. I did get in on an old big bull three times, at least I think it was him each time, Twice I was 35 yards from him
I think Ill lower my expectations next year,.. any legal elk.
I guess if my daughter had gotten a shot at the 6x6 , that one would have been great. A wide just over 300 bull.

http://www.elknutforums.com/Hunting/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=6694

[elkaholic]

This year I had several encounters inside 120 yards. All of them were cool one that stands out the most was calling half of a herd bulls cows away from him. The chatter back-and-forth between me and the cows with be something I remember for quite some time The odd thing was the bull could care less that I was throwing bull sounds in there as well he never answered me once. It was a fun but challenging season and I'm looking forward to the mountains next year.